


In Between Heaven and Earth

by ToxicTraitor



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Afterlife, Coma, M/M, ygoshipolympics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 03:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4505124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToxicTraitor/pseuds/ToxicTraitor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Shun finds himself in a coma, he's faced with the decision of choosing to go to Heaven or to stay on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Between Heaven and Earth

**Author's Note:**

> My entry for the YGO Ship Olympics.  
> Preyshipping Team, 1st Submission. (Prompt: Victory) + (Challenge: Bitter)
> 
> Please enjoy and please vote for our team.

When Shun woke up, he was confused.  One minute, he felt absolutely fine but now it seemed as if everything had turned around completely.  His head throbbed with pain and his lungs felt like they were filled with water.

            He shook his head, trying to clear himself of the heavy stupor.  He squinted at his surroundings.  How had he gotten here? 

            He was in a field, surrounded by flowers of all colors, shapes and sizes.  The sun was up high in the sky, its warmth drifting down into the quiet meadow.  Shun could hear the chatter of animals and birds around him.

            He stood up, brushing his clothes of dirt.  He began to wander along the field.  Where was he?  He had never been here before.  Heartland didn’t have wide, open fields like this.

            He patted his pockets, searching for his phone.  He began to feel concerned when he found his pockets empty.  He couldn’t allow himself to panic.  He was probably just dreaming.

            That must be it, he was dreaming.  He felt stupid for even thinking this could be reality.  This was all just a dream.  He would probably be woken up by his alarm any minute now.

            He sat down, resting against a tree.  He might as well relax.  He was asleep after all; he should get the most out of it.  He would just sit here and wait until his alarm rang.

            A few minutes passed, but there was no alarm.  Shun laughed to himself, nervously.  Maybe he forgot to set it.  That’s happened before.  Ruri should be there any moment to wake him up.

            Shun waited, panic beginning to rise up in his chest.  This wasn’t normal.  He should have woken up by now.  Ruri would never let him sleep in like this.  She would always wake him up before she left for school.

            The ache in his head began to burn.  What had happened?  Why couldn’t he wake up?  What was wrong with him?

            He was dreaming wasn’t he?  So what was happening?  Why did it feel like his lungs were being crushed?  He couldn’t understand.

            Shun felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, a hand resting there.

            “Ruri?” he asked, turning.

            The boy standing there wasn’t Ruri.  His eyes were wide and round, like a child’s.  He looked down at Shun, his bright green eyes glowing with sympathy.

            Suddenly it hit him.  He knew why he couldn’t wake up.  He knew why this place was so dreamlike. 

            “Am I dead?” Shun asked, burying his face into his knees.

            “No, not yet,” the boy said, his voice sounded sweet and innocent.

            “What does that mean?” Shun asked, his voice breaking, “Not yet?”

            “You’re in a coma,” the boy explained, “It happens more often than you think,”

            The boy plopped down next to Shun.  His body was tiny, reminding Shun of a doll.  The boy continued to stare up at Shun, measuring every expression.

            “I’m here to guide you,” the boy explained, “You can call me Sora,”

            “Guide me?  Guide me to where?”

            “That’s your decision,” Sora said, leaning back into the tree, “You can continue to stay on Earth or you can follow me to the afterlife,”

            “Of course I would choose to stay on Earth,” Shun muttered, “Why wouldn’t I choose to stay on Earth?”

            “Well… There are risks if you stay on Earth.  There’s still a chance you might never wake up.  If you chose Earth, you could risk being caught in a purgatory of sorts,”

            “What happens if I choose the afterlife?”

            “It’s between Heaven and Hell,”

            Shun ground his teeth, “I suppose I’m going to Hell, then?”

            “No,” Sora smiled, “You’re a lucky one; Heaven has selected you.  Your sister loves you very much.  The angels listen to her and she asks that you two meet again in the afterlife,”

            Ruri.  Shun couldn’t leave her.  She needed someone to take care of her.  There was no one else better suited than he was.  How could he walk away and leave her with no one?

            She would fall apart if anything happened to him.  He was all the family she had left.  He couldn’t stand the thought of her all alone.

            “You don’t have to choose now,” Sora said quietly, “You can wait before you make your decision,”

            “How long do I have?”

            “It depends.  If your body dies on Earth, you’ll have no choice left but the afterlife,”

            “So,” Shun began, “I could just wait until my body decides what it wants to do?  I don’t have to make a choice then, I can just wait,”

            “That’s another problem.  If you wait too long, it’s harder to go back.  Your soul can only be separated from your body for so long before the connection weakens.  Once the connection is broken, you can never return to your body.  You’ll be stuck here, in between Earth and the afterlife,”

            “How long until the connection breaks?”

            “You’ll know.  You can feel it weaken.  I won’t lie to you, it hurts,” Sora smiled, “Sometimes your sanity goes before the connection breaks,”

            Shun felt sick as Sora explained his situation.  How had he even ended up in a coma?  What was he doing in the first place?  Was Ruri okay?

            “You’re thinking about your sister,” Sora said.  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

            Shun nodded, absentmindedly.

            “Close your eyes and concentrate.  If you’re successful, you can hear her and feel her.  The connection is the strongest now but over time it will be harder to hear her,”

            Shun followed the advice.  He closed his eyes and concentrated.  He listened carefully, trying to pick Ruri’s voice out of the void.

             

            _“Shun,” Ruri mumbled, “Please wake up,”_

_“Ruri,” Yuuto said, his voice concerned, “Why don’t you go home?  I can stay with Shun.  You need to get some rest,”_

_Shun could feel Ruri’s hand touching his arm, “I can’t leave him.  I can sleep here, I don’t mind,”_

_“Ruri,” Yuuto sighed, “You look exhausted,”_

_“That doesn’t matter,” Ruri mumbled, “I have to stay here just in case… just in case something goes wrong,”_

_“What did the doctor tell you?”_

_“He said that Shun is in stable condition,” her voice became thick with tears, “He also said that his condition could worsen at any time,”_

_“At least get some sleep.  I can watch him for a few hours,”_

_Ruri wavered for a moment but she eventually agreed.  Shun felt a soft, warm pressure against his cheek.  A kiss?_

When Shun opened his eyes again, Sora was gone.  Shun glanced around, looking for the green-eyed boy.  He sighed to himself when he could find no trace of him.

            He still had so many questions.  He had no idea what he was supposed to do.  Was he supposed to just sit here and wait for improvement down on Earth?  Was he supposed to go through some sort of journey like the ones he read in all those cliché books?

            Some guide Sora was.  He had just left him here without another word.  He had no clue where to look for him.  Could he call him?  Would he hear him?

            Shun rubbed his head.  It still hurt and the ache didn’t seem like it would fade for a while.  What he wouldn’t give for some painkillers right now or maybe a glass of water.

            His mind began to wander again, back to thoughts of Ruri.  Would she be okay?  If Yuuto was with her, Shun knew she was in good hands.  _Still_ , she sounded so worried and tired.

            He wished that Yuuto could convince Ruri to just go home.  She would be more comfortable there.  At least he wouldn’t have to worry about her so much but the thought of her leaving put a lump in his throat.  He didn’t want to be left alone either.

            He could still feel her if he concentrated.  He could feel her presence, hanging in the air around him.  It felt so warm and comforting to have her there.  She felt like home and she chased away the loneliness.

            Shun could feel Yuuto’s hand in his.  He could feel Yuuto strong, worn out and calloused fingers intertwined with his.  They had always been more than just simply friends, they were like family.

            He thought about Sora and the choices the boy had left him with.  He could return to Earth, but even then there was no guarantee that he would wake up or he could go to Heaven. 

            To be honest, the later sounded so tempting.  He had never believed in things like Heaven or Hell before.  Even now he was doubtful but Heaven sounded too good to pass up.  It could be his last chance too; he wasn’t exactly a good man on Earth.

            He would miss Ruri and Yuuto if he left.  It would be only temporary though.  Eventually they would be reunited again.

            Earth was still his home.  He had so many things he had left to do and so many people he had to take care of.  He couldn’t leave just yet.

            He knew he couldn’t leave Ruri.  He owed her too much to leave her alone.  She needed someone to look out for her and if he was gone, there wouldn’t be anyone left to protect her.

            He couldn’t leave Yuuto, either.  Yuuto had just lost his father and to lose someone else so soon would destroy him.  He couldn’t do that to his best friend.  He couldn’t hurt Yuuto.

            Heaven or Earth?  He wished he could have both.

            “Have you decided yet?” Sora asked, suddenly appearing from behind the tree.

            Shun shook his head.

            “There’s still time,” Sora smiled, revealing dimples Shun hadn’t noticed before.

            “What are you?” Shun asked, irritated.

            “What do you mean?” Sora asked, his eyes round with confusion.

            “Are you some kind of angel?”

            “No, not exactly,”

            “Then a demon?”

            Sora shook his head, his hair shining softly in the light, “Nope,”

            “Then what are you?”

            “I guess you could say that I’m part angel and part demon.  I work for Heaven and Hell.  I’m just here to guide you,”

            “Is it just me?  Do you guide anyone else?”

            “No, it’s just you.  My only reason for existing is you,”

            Shun sighed, running a hand through his hair.  This was all so much to take in.  He lay back, crossing his arms over his chest.  He closed his eyes and tried not to think too much.

 

            Days passed; at least Shun assumed that they did.  He had nothing to go by.  The sun never set and he never felt the need to sleep.  Right now, his soul lived outside the value of time. 

            His body however, was still affected by time.  He guessed that three days had passed by the number of times that Ruri had fallen asleep at his bedside and by the number of times Yuuto had begged her to go home for some rest.

            He wished he could stroke Ruri’s hair and to tell her that everything would be okay.  He wished he could curl his fingers around Yuuto’s and hold his hand tight in his.  He wished he could ask the nurses and doctors that came in about his condition.  Was there any improvement?

            His head didn’t hurt as much now.  It still ached but the pain had been lifted substantially.  Although that pain had begun to fade, a new pain began to sprout in his chest.

            It was a dull pain.  It just felt like he had gone for a run or climbed to many flights of stairs.  The pain was more than tolerable but the pain made him worry.

            Was this how it felt when the connection between body and soul weakened? 

            “Yes,” Sora had said when he asked, “That’s how it starts.  It will get worse overtime if you continue to stay,”

 

More days passed; maybe another two or three.  Maybe it was even a week or a month.  Shun didn’t know anymore.

            The pain in his chest felt heavier.  It made it hard for him to breathe.

            “Have you decided yet?” Sora asked, a smile on his face.

            Shun shook his head absentmindedly.

            “How’s the pain?” Sora asked; placing one, small finger into Shun’s chest.

            “It’s worse,”

 

Another day was gone.  Shun wished he had kept tract of the days that had passed but it was so hard to keep up.

            Sora visited him often.  He was always there, a small, dimpled smile on his face. 

            Shun noticed more and more about him.  From the way his hair fell softly over his slender shoulders and flowed down his back to the way his eyes gleamed like pretty, green emeralds in the summer sun.

            Shun fell in love with Sora’s light, bubbly laughter and his dimpled smile.  He fell in love with Sora’s voice and the way his name sounded when it fell from Sora’s tongue.

            Shun had made the mistake of touching Sora’s hand.  The gentle brush of skin was enough to send sparks of electricity across his skin and heat through his veins.

            Shun made the mistake of kissing Sora.  He leaned down and kissed Sora out of curiosity.  He had wondered what it would feel like to kiss him.  He wanted to know if he would feel the same way he had when he had accidently touched Sora’s skin.

            Somehow, it was even better.  Shun wondered how that could even be possible.  How could anything feel better than the touch of Sora’s skin against his?

            The kiss made him question everything all over again.  What if he just stayed here with Sora?  What if he let go of life and Heaven and stayed here with Sora.

            It was so tempting.  Looking into Sora’s eyes put him so dangerously close to wanting to stay here.

            Temptation was too dangerous.

           

The pain in Shun’s chest ached more every day.  His heart felt so heavy and overworked.  He wondered how much longer it would take until the pain became unbearable.

            It was already hard enough with Ruri begging him to wake up.

           

            _“Wake up,” she begged.  Shun could feel her fingers twisting into the bed sheet, “Please wake up,”_

_I can’t, Shun wished he could say, I’m sorry._

_It hurt to listen to.  His heart broke every time he heard Ruri cry._

_“Ruri, go home,” Yuuto whispered, “I’ll watch him tonight.  You’re exhausted; how can you take care of him when you’re so tired?”_

_Ruri hesitated, “Will you call me if anything happens?”_

_“I’ll call you if there’s even the slightest change,” Yuuto promised, “Go home.  I’ll call my mother to take you there so you don’t have to be alone,”_

_“Okay,” Ruri agreed._

_Shun could feel the same, warm and familiar pressure against his forehead as Ruri gave him a kiss goodbye._

_“Get better, Shun,” she pleaded, “I’ll be back soon,”_

_It was quiet after she left.  Shun began to wonder if Yuuto had left too.  Maybe it was better if he was alone._

_“Shun,” Yuuto mumbled, taking Shun’s hand in his._

_So he was still here._

_“Shun,” Yuuto mumbled again, “Please wake up, Shun.  Ruri is such a mess and I can’t help her.  I’m not as good at taking care of her as you are.  I’m so worried about her; she’s falling apart without you.  Shun, please wake up.  Ruri needs her brother and I need my best friend back,”_

_Shun felt warmth at his cheek as Yuuto kissed him there.  He could feel little drops of tears as they fell from Yuuto’s face and on to his._

            “Sora,” Shun called, summoning the boy.

            Sora appeared from behind him, as if he had been standing there the entire time.  He pressed his face into Shun’s back, gently placing a kiss in between Shun’s shoulder blades.

            “You’ve decided,” Sora sighed, already knowing the truth on Shun’s mind.

            “I have to go home,” Shun murmured, his voice sounded far off, “I’ve had to go home,”

            “I know,” Sora said, hugging Shun’s waist.

            “I don’t want to leave you.  I’ll miss you,” Shun said, tears stinging his eyes, “I wish I could stay,”

            “It will be okay,” Sora said, squeezing Shun tighter, “I promise you’ll be okay,”

            “What if I don’t wake up?” Shun asked, panic beginning to rise in his throat, “What will happen then?”

            “You’ll be okay,” Sora insisted, “I know you will be,”

            Shun turned around to face Sora.  Sora’s eyes were filled with tears. 

            “You’re not meant to stay here with me,” Sora smiled weakly, “You don’t belong to me and I don’t belong to you,”

“I don’t understand,”

“You will understand one day,” Sora’s smile brighten, “It’s time to go home,”

Shun returned the smile even though his eyes were filled with tears.

“Goodbye, Sora,” Shun smiled.

 

When Shun woke up, he kept his eyes closed.  He could feel Yuuto’s hand, still in his.  He curled his fingers, wrapping them around Yuuto’s warm hand.

            Yuuto’s head snapped up, “Shun?” he asked, “Was that you?  Did you move?”

            Shun opened his eyes.  He squinted at the bright, florescent lighting over his bed. 

            “Yuuto,” he smiled.

            He sounded so _awful_.  He had no idea how long he had been in the coma.  His body felt so stiff from laying still for so long and his mouth felt so dry.

            “You’re awake!” Yuuto exclaimed happily.

            Yuuto ran out of the room to call on a nurse.  Shun could hear him on the phone, presumably calling Ruri to come back to the hospital.

            When she finally arrived, she had tears in her eyes.

            “Shun,” she mumbled through the tears, “Oh, big brother,”

            She held Shun’s head, cradling him in her arms as she kissed his crown.

            “I was afraid you would never wake up,” she cried, “I was so worried about you.  You idiot, why did you make me worry so much?”

            “I’m sorry, Ruri,” Shun said, his voice muffled by Ruri’s arms, “How long was I out for?”

            “Three weeks,” she said, “Three, very long, weeks,”

 

As much as Shun had wanted to go home and try to go back to normal life, the doctors refused to let him leave.  Physical therapy, they called it.  Rehabilitation was what Ruri had called it.

            It was supposed to help Shun’s body readjust to moving again.  He had spent too long in bed and the doctors were worried that Shun would damage it if he tried to push himself too far.

            “It’s only a few more days,” Ruri promised before she left for the evening.

            “Then you can go home,” Yuuto smiled.

            “We’ll be back in the morning,” Ruri said as she kissed Shun’s cheek, “You can always call me if you need something,”

            Shun sighed, “I’ll see you tomorrow,”

            Shun waited until Ruri and Yuuto had left before he climbed out of his bed.  To be honest, he probably really did need that therapy but he was too stubborn to admit it.  He could walk a little here and there but it exhausted him if he tried to go too far.

            He ended up at the end of the hall in front of a window.  He could see all the lights of the city, from the offices and moving cars on the highway. 

            He sighed to himself as his mind wandered back to thoughts of Sora.  He missed the green-eyed boy more than anything.  He missed him so much that it made him wonder if had made a mistake when he chose to return to Earth.

            “Hey,” a small voice called from behind him, “Are you okay?  You look pretty sad,”

            “I’m fine,” Shun insisted without turning around.

            “Aren’t you that boy that was in the coma?  You finally woke up, huh?  Your sister was worried sick about you,”

            “I know,” Shun sighed, feeling irritated.  He didn’t leave his room to be bothered by people.

            “Congratulations on your victory.  Not everyone wakes up.  You’re one of the lucky ones I guess,”

            Shun felt far from being lucky, “It’s a bitter victory at best.  I met the most wonderful person and I had to leave him behind when I woke up,”

           “You know,” the boy behind him said, “My grandmother used to tell me that when you’re that close to death, Heaven sends you an angel in the form of your soulmate to guide your spirit along on its journey,”

            Shun finally turned around.  His heart nearly stopped when he saw the green-eyed boy standing in front of him.  This wasn’t possible.

            The green-eyed boy smiled, “This might sound silly, but I saw you when I was in my surgery.  You held my hand and assured me that everything would be okay.  Wow, that really does sound silly when you say it out loud,’

            Shun floundered for words to say but his voice was caught in his throat.

            “Do you want to get something to eat?” the boy asked, “The cafeteria isn’t too horrible,”

            Shun managed a nod.

            “My name is Sora,” Sora smiled, taking Shun’s hand in his.

            “Mine is Shun,” Shun choked out.

            “I know.  I’ve already met you once,”


End file.
